The Poul Due Jensen Foundation secures water for Villas Sonja

Villas Sonja, a different and relatively new approach to the fenced community, was constructed in Nicaragua in 2007. The design and financing was made possible by, among others, Peder Kolind and Lars Kolind. The idea was to create an undisturbed society with its own police station where the citizens can break free of the negative social heritage. An important effort in a country where unemployment, wife beating and abuse of children are everyday occurrences.

However, until late 2008 there was a snake just outside their paradise. The unstable supply of water and electricity caused enough troubles in itself, as the community often endured water and power outages that lasted for hours and sometimes several days, but the worst part was the theft of water from the pipe outside the community fence. The community guard could not stop it and 40% of their total monthly water expenses were for people that stole water from the pipe.

With financial support from the Poul Due Jensen Foundation and Grundfos in Denmark, Mexico and USA, an SQ Flex system was installed inside the fence. Since then the community has been independent of the public water supply and have only been paying for their own water.

The community houses more than 350 people in 101 houses. They all pay rent, but those who have fewer resources than others have the opportunity to get jobs inside the gated community to pay their rent. The available jobs include shop managers, gardeners and the like. In this way less privileged families, which usually cannot live in a community like this, get the opportunity to live in the attractive Villas Sonja. Here they can enjoy their daily lives in calm and hygienic surroundings.